Eurasia Press & News
The Syrian Army has mobilized around 3,000 extra soldiers and heavy equipment near its western borders with neighboring Lebanon.
According to Syrian authorities, the troops are deployed to stop illegal smuggling and cross-border criminal movement.
Meanwhile, the daily al-Mustaqbal of Lebanon claimed Sunday that Syrian troops were seen digging trenches and fox holes in four Lebanese villages of the Hasbaya province on foothills of Mount Hermon where the Lebanese-Syrian border meets on the western flank of the eastern Bekaa Valley.
It added that the deployment started Thursday and the Lebanese army command was informed in advance about the move which is said to fall in line with UN Security Council resolution 1701 that bans smuggling into Lebanon.
In September, Damascus sent 10,000 troops and tanks to its border with Lebanon, and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad took part in a border drill held by the Syrian army.
